A Snake in My Step and a Buck in My Lap: NDR

Larry Eckart

Well-known member
A Snake in My Step and a Buck in My Lap: Two Days Outdoors on Public Land

Guys,
I recently had two interesting days back-to-back on public land in the Raleigh area. I thought I would bring you along on the story.

On Tuesday I spent a few hours scouting an area new to me. The most interesting experience for me was not deer sign but a snake encounter.

There seems to be some debate about whether or not the range of water moccasins extends into the game lands of the Raleigh area. Officially, it appears that the range is said to end in eastern Wake County, about twenty miles east of Raleigh

With the climate warming and so much swampy area in the local game lands, I wondered about that range extending further east. Even though I have tromped around the local game lands and swamps for many, many miles I had not come across any snakes other than a few black snakes.

On Tuesday as I was walking in a swampy area I spotted ahead of me a medium sized, dark, black snake, coiled. My first thought, "water snake or moccasin"?

Water snakes and water moccasins are often mistaken for each other. I went through a check list.

Moccasins have a thick body, check.

Moccasins have a thinner neck than the body and head, check.

Moccasins have a stubby tail, check.

Moccasins hold their ground and don?t run away, check.

I realize that moccasins have "elliptical pupils." That always struck me as an odd primary identification mark. Who in the heck is going to look close enough to see that? I did have binoculars with me but didn?t think of using them to check out the snake's eyes.

Of course, the most telling sign is the "cotton mouth." I grabbed a long stick and pushed it close to the snake's head. No response. With the cooler weather of fall, snakes aren't as aggressive as in summer months. Finally, I touched the snake's nose with the stick. Bingo. The snake struck at the stick with a cotton white mouth.

I have no idea how far their range extends or how many are in the swamps of the Raleigh area, but that was a water moccasin for sure. It seems to me that like so many other parts of the Lord's creation, the warming climate will also affect the range of snakes.

I left it in place, more aware that I was not only in the home land of deer but also many other critters. Being an old fart, I didn't even think of taking a picture. As I walked away, the snake was still in place, holding its ground.

The next day, Wednesday, I went deer hunting, not in the same area but in a similar area that I knew more about. I got into my chosen spot a full hour prior to shooting time. Pleasant. Low 50's. Either a raccoon or a bobcat snarled loudly at something in the nearby marsh. Gradually, dark became dull light. My spot was on a pinch point between a ridge and a thick marsh.

Around 8:15 am I had been sitting for two hours, seen nothing, and my legs became stiff. I am 68 and have "restless leg syndrome." It is a pain in the butt for sitting still for long periods, especially in the evening.

Nearby, someone started up some loud equipment on private land. I thought it would be good time to stand up.

I did so. It felt good to stretch. My gun was below me in a sitting in a holder I use to keep it off the ground (like a fishing rod holder).

Then I looked about 50 yards north and there was a buck who also decided that the noise of the equipment was a good time to sneak quickly around it.

He was making a beeline. Straight for me. Fast.

First thought: "Oh BLEEP!"

Second thought: "That deer is going to run me over."

When he was 25 yards from me, head turned towards the nearby equipment noise, still not seeing me, headed straight for my lap, I knelt down for my gun. He put on the brakes. Looked me in the face and broke away towards the thick marsh.

At about 75 yards, maybe more, he paused briefly and looked back. I aimed my gun free-hand but I was all discombobulated. My aim was not steady. I got off a shot I should not have taken and he bounded into the marsh with no effect of impact.

I knew I had missed.

I spent 15 minutes kicking myself.

Then I spent some time having a conversation with the Lord. "Dear Lord, why could you not have sent this buck just ONE minute earlier?" Larry

Said the Lord: "Larry. Why could you not have sat still ONE minute longer to harvest the buck that I sent into your LAP.?" The Lord.

Point taken.

After waiting, I spent some time checking for blood, including going into the marsh and following the cattails that he had run through. If I hit him, there would have been blood on those cattails. No blood.

I was relieved that I missed. But I proceeded to kick myself for the next 2-3 hours. If I had sat a little bit longer I would have had a frontal shot at 15 yards on a nice buck. (It happened so fast I didn't even count the points.)

The rest of the day was, comparatively, boring.

Now it's the third day and I am at home writing up this story and plan to spend the day hanging out with my wife. I doubt that I will have a snake in my step or a deer in my lap, today.

And people wonder, "Why do you hunt and fish"?

Larry


By the way. I have snake gaiters from my time in South Carolina. I do not wear them. I may now add them to my foot wear in the early season. I usually wear calf high rubber boots purchased at Walmart of all places. They have one variety of calf high rubber boots made in Canada with natural rubber about ?" thick inside the outer rubber layer. They are tough boots that I do not believe a snake's fangs will go through. Many rubber boots today have neoprene sides. Nice for warmth and keeping the water out but that material will not stop a snake's fangs.
 
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Hi Larry,



That's a great story! I used to hunt on the gamelands off hwy 98 near Falls Lake, back in the late 80s. I imagine the area has changed quite a bit since then, especially with the I-540 parking lot now. I think many people would be surprised at the numbers and size of deer in Wake County and surrounding areas.

continued good luck and best wishes.
 
Sounds like a fun adventure Larry. Maybe you will see that buck a little later this year and you will be ready for it.

Thanks for taking us along!
 
That was a good story.

Where I grew up, we had western diamond back rattlesnakes, no cottonmouths or copperheads.

The nice thing about diamondbacks, is they just want to be left alone, the only way one would bite you is if you were messing around with it or stepped on it.

Those cottonmouths sound like they have no fear.
 
Larry

Thanks for taking the time to tell your snake story.

We have cotton mouths here and I am always on the lookout for them when working at the hunting property. One of us usually has a pistol or shotgun handy when working on the water control structures. I've seen more than I care to think about. It's been so warm here I suspect that when the veteran's/youth day happens in a couple weeks there will be plenty of encounters. Very territorial and aggressive snake. I've read their eyesight is awful and many times when people think they are charging them they are actually just crawling someplace they want to be oblivious to humans on their path.

Eric
 
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